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Amory, Son of Beatrice
AmoryandFrogParkerconsideredthatthegreatestlineinliteratureoccurredinActIIIof"ArseneLupin."
TheysatinthefirstrowattheWednesdayandSaturdaymatinees.Thelinewas:
"Ifonecan’tbeagreatartistoragreatsoldier,thenextbestthingistobeagreatcriminal."
Amoryfellinloveagain,andwroteapoem.Thiswasit:
"MarylynandSallee,
Thosearethegirlsforme.
Marylynstandsabove
Salleeinthatsweet,deeplove."
HewasinterestedinwhetherMcGovernofMinnesotawouldmakethefirstorsecondAll-American,howtodothecard-pass,howtodothecoin-pass,chameleonties,howbabieswereborn,andwhetherThree-fingeredBrownwasreallyabetterpitcherthanChristieMathewson.
Amongotherthingsheread:"FortheHonoroftheSchool,""LittleWomen"(twice),"TheCommonLaw,""Sapho,""DangerousDanMcGrew,""TheBroadHighway"(threetimes),"TheFalloftheHouseofUsher,""ThreeWeeks,""MaryWare,theLittleColonel’sChum,""GungaDin,"ThePoliceGazette,andJim-JamJems.
HehadalltheHentybiassesinhistory,andwasparticularlyfondofthecheerfulmurderstoriesofMaryRobertsRinehart.
SchoolruinedhisFrenchandgavehimadistasteforstandardauthors.Hismastersconsideredhimidle,unreliableandsuperficiallyclever.
Hecollectedlocksofhairfrommanygirls.Heworetheringsofseveral.Finallyhecouldborrownomorerings,owingtohisnervoushabitofchewingthemoutofshape.This,itseemed,usuallyarousedthejealoussuspicionsofthenextborrower.